Method for fusing male plug at end of power line cord

ABSTRACT

A fused plug having the line cord wires terminating within the plug and a fuse link inside the plug between each wire and an associated plug prong.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fused plugs and more particularly to aplug at the end of a line cord which is intended to be plugged into awall socket and which carries a fuse element therein.

In the operation of appliances of various types, including television inthe home, it has become more and more desirable to arrange theelectrical protection including fuses so that this protection is asclose as possible to the source of current thereby protecting the entireappliance including the line cord and especially protecting the userthereof. Thus, a requirement has developed that the line cord be fusedor even that the plug of the line cord be fused so that in the event afault occurs anywhere in the system from the line cord into theappliance the fuse will deactivate the entire appliance and therebyprotect the consumer. Since the problem is not merely to fuse the plugand thereby to protect the entire appliance, but to avoid an increase incost which might be resisted by the consumer, it becomes necessary todevise a means for fusing the plug in such manner that the increase incost is minimal. The prime monetary consideration is that the fused plugstructure be no more costly than a line cord plus a replaceable fusesomewhere in the system.

The present invention contemplates that the plug body be made ofinsulating material as it necessarily must be and also fire resistantmaterial, that the plug prongs are connected not directly to the linecord, but are connected to fuse links or wires which in turn areconnected to the line cord. Hence the fuse links or wires, being incircuit with one or both sides of the pair of leads in the line cord,provide the necessary protection and make it possible to prepare aneffective, but simple and inexpensive fused plug at the end of a linecord for use on appliances.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is the provisionof a simplified fused plug for a line cord wherein the plug prongs areconnected directly to fuse links and the fuse links are then connecteddirectly to one or both sides of the line cord.

A further object is the arrangement of the fused plug so that theinterior is not accessible for adjustment or mistreatment by the userand that any attempt to do so or any attempt to disassemble the plugwill result in a breaking of the fused link.

The foregoing and many other objects of the present invention willbecome apparent in the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the fused line plug, of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an expanded view showing the interior construction of thefused line plug.

FIG. 3 is a view of the interior of the cover of the fused line plug.

FIG. 4 is a view of the interior of the base or support members of thefused line plug.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 2 looking inthe direction of the arrows and showing the connection between the fusedlink and the line cord.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a modified form of fuse plug showinga plug in which the wires may be inserted by the user.

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective showing a pair of wires being inserted.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8, 8 of FIG. 7,looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9, 9 of FIG. 6 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Referring to the Figures, the fused line plug 10 is provided with anupper molded housing element 11 and a lower housing element 12. Thisdoes not necessarily require the particular orientation thus noted inactual use. Each of the housings 11 and 12 is a molded piece made ofinsulating and fire-resistant material and may be secured togetherpreferably by rivets through the corresponding openings 13, 13. Thelower housing 12 is provided with a plurality of elements which willserve to guide the structures hereinafter described. These variouselements will be explained further as the structures with which theycooperate are described.

The lower housing carries the prongs 20, 20a which are provided with there-entrant bends 21 and 21a and the extensions 22 and 22a. Guide members23 and 24 in the lower housing 12 cooperate with the wall elements 25and 26 of the lower housing to position the prongs 20, 20a and the unitswhich are connected thereto. Additional walls 27 and 28 in the housingserve as an additional barrier between the extensions 22, 22a of theprongs 20, 20a and as a guide for insertion of an alternate plug ashereinafter described.

The lower housing 12 is also provided with the openings 30 through whichthe line cord sections 31 and 32 are led. The line cords are wrappedaround the posts 33 and 34 for tension relief and may be knotted insideat the area 36 if desired although this is not necessary. The bared ends41, 42 of the line cords 31,32 are received in the positioning sleeves43 carried by the lower housing 12. The fuse links 50 and 51 areinserted in the sleeves 43, as seen in FIG. 5 and are connected bypressure fit to the respective line cords.

While separate fuse links 50 and 51 are shown, it is also possible, whenstranded wire is used for the line cord, to extend one or more of thestrands to connect at 55,55a to the prongs, thereby forming integralfuse links. It is also possible when conditions require or permit andfurther reduction in cost is necessary, to connect a fuse link directlyfrom the bared wire of the line cord to the prong without the use of thesleeve.

The opposite ends of the fuse links 50 are connected to the respectiveprongs 20, 20a in any suitable manner, as by staking, swaging or in anyother manner which will result in effective conduction of current, asindicated by the insertion of end 51a of link 51 and end 50a of link 50into the openings 55a and 55 of the respective prongs 20a and 20. Theunit is then completed by riveting the cover member 11 thereon.

It will be seen that the line cord consisting of the elements 41,42 aredrawn out through the bottom opening 30 in the bottom member 12. Theelements of the line cord, after being appropriately supported fortension by the posts 33 and 34, and knotted for tension relief ifdesired, are connected through the sleeves 43 to the fuse links whichare in turn connected to the prongs.

It will be seen that in the event an over-current condition occurs whichis beyond the rating of the fuse links 50, 51 then one or both fuselinks will be destroyed and current will be interrupted within the plugand therefore to the appliance to which it is connected by a line cord.

In addition to the protective structure here provided, a bypass plugarrangement may also be provided by reason of the utilization of theextensions 22 and 22a of the prongs 20 and 20a. These extensions, aswill be seen, extend up to the openings 60,61 in the rear of the plugopposite the prongs. Therefore, the plug of another appliance may beinserted into the plug of the present invention in order to provide anadditional circuit for an alternate device which, however, will not beprotected by the fuse construction of the present invention.

In some instances it is desirable to manufacture the plug completelywithout the wires 41, 42 secured therein in the manufacturing process.This will enable the user to connect wires to the plug. The connectionto the line cord should, however, be such as to preserve to ability ofone fuse for the line cord.

In the modified form as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 in which the fuse plug 100has the upper section 111 and the lower section 112. The upper section111 is provided with a recess 170 of a generally rectangular shapecommunicating with two openings 171 and 172 therein, which openings leadto respective sleeves 143, 143. Each of the sleeves 143 is connected tothe respective fuse links 150, 151 which are connected to the prongs120, 120a in a manner already previously described. However, each of thesleeves 143 is so arranged that it will receive and make contact with acontact tip 180, 180 on the line cord 41-42. The line cord 41-42 has aretainer 190 slipped thereon. The retainer 190 is preferably ofcompressible insulating material initially slightly larger in sectionthan the recess 170 but so arranged as seen in FIGS. 6 and 9 that whenit is pushed into the recess 170 it will be compressed and be a forcefit therein. For this reason, the outer surface of plug member 190 maybe given an irregular shape as for instance by being provided with a rib191 which will serve to anchor the plug 190 in the recess 170.

A portion of each of the wires 41, 42 projecting from the bottom end ofthe plug 190 is stripped and a contact tip 180 is mounted thereon tomake good contact with the wires inside the insulation. When the wiresare pushed into the openings 171, 172 and the contact tips on 180inserted into the respective sleeves 143, appropriate contact is madewith the sleeve 143 and through the fuse links, 150, with the prongs120. Thereafter the plug 190 is pushed down from the position shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, to anchor the wiretips 180 in the sleeves 143.

Therefore, the line cord need not necessarily be manufactured inconjunction with the fused plug; but the fused plug may be manufacturedindependently with the means for receiving the tips of the line cord.All of the other elements of the plug may remain the same including forinstance the piggy-back openings 60, 61 so that additional plugs may beinserted at the rear of the plug.

In the foregoing the present invention has been described solely inconnection with a preferred illustrated embodiment thereof. Since manyvariations and modifications of the present invention will now beobvious to those skilled in the art, it is preferred that the scope ofthis invention be determined not by the specific disclosures hereincontained but only by the appended claims.

I claim: .[.1. A fused plug comprising a housing; a respective other endof said fuse links..].
 4. .[.The fused plug of claim 1 wherein the wiresof said line cord are stranded wires and wherein the fuse link comprisesat least one selected strand of said wire.]. .Iadd.A fused plugcomprising a housing;a pair of prongs mounted in said housing and havingsubstantially parallel extensions outside said housing; an opening insaid housing; a line cord extending through said opening into saidhousing; said line cord comprising a pair of wires, said wires beingstranded wires and each said wire being in electrical contact with arespective one of said prongs; and a fuse link between the end of atleast one of said wires and one of said prongs adjacent said wire, saidfuse link comprising at least one selected strand of said wire..Iaddend. .[.5. A fused plug comprising a housing;a pair of prongsmounted in said housing and having substantially parallel extensionsoutside said housing; an opening in said housing; a line cord extendingthrough said opening into said housing; said line cord comprising a pairof wires; a fuse link between the end of at least one wire and a prongadjacent said wire; wherein a pair of sleeves is positioned in the saidhousing; an end of one of said wires and an end of one of said fuselinks being inserted in each sleeve and connected by pressure fittherein; wherein an opening is provided in each prong and the other endof each fuse link is secured in said opening..].
 6. A fused plugcomprising a housing;a pair of prongs mounted in said housing and havingsubstantially parallel extensions outside said housing; an opening insaid housing; a line cord extending through said opening into saidhousing; said line cord comprising a pair of wires; .Iadd. each saidwire having one end in electrical contact with a respective one of saidprongs; .Iaddend. a fuse link .[.between.]. .Iadd.connecting.Iaddend.the end of .[.at least.]. one .Iadd.said .Iaddend.wire and.[.a.]. .Iadd.its respective said .Iaddend.prong.Iadd., its respectivesaid prong being .Iaddend.adjacent said wire; .Iadd. said fuse linkbeing the means by which said one wire is maintained in electricalcontact with its respective said prong; .Iaddend. wherein a .[.pair ofsleeves .]. .Iadd.sleeve .Iaddend.is positioned in .[.the.]. saidhousing; an end of .[.one of.]. said .[.wires.]. .Iadd.wire .Iaddend.andan end of .[.one of.]. said .Iadd.one .Iaddend.fuse .[.links.]..Iadd.link .Iaddend.being inserted in .[.each.]. .Iadd.said.Iaddend.sleeve and connected by pressure fit therein; .Iadd. the innerdimension of said sleeve and the outer dimensions of said fuse link endand said end of said wire being related to each other to effect apressure fit electrical connection through said sleeve; .Iaddend.wherein the other end of .[.each.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.fuse link issecured to .[.a.]. .Iadd.its respective said .Iaddend.prong; wherein.[.said line cord comprises a pair of wires and.]. said openingcomprises a separate opening for the end of each .Iadd.said.Iaddend.wire; .[.each.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.sleeve being locateddirectly adjacent .Iadd.that .Iaddend.one of said separate openings.Iadd.through which said one wire passes.Iaddend.; wherein a surface ofsaid plug has a recess; said separate openings being located in saidrecess; and a plug for said recess; passages through said plug slidablyreceiving said wires; said plug being insertable in said recess whensaid .[.wires end.]. .Iadd.wire end .Iaddend.are inserted in said.[.contact.]. sleeve.
 7. The fused plug of claim 6.Iadd., furthercomprising a second sleeve positioned in said housing directly adjacentthe other one of said separate openings, and a second fuse link havingone end secured to the other of said prongs and having another endsecured to the end of the other of said wires, said second fuse linkbeing the means by which said other wire is maintained in saidelectrical contact with said other prong; and .Iaddend.in which acontact tip is carried by the end of each wire; each tip fitting closelyin its respective sleeve for current conduction with its respectivewire.